Fun With Parenting
by dancelvr234
Summary: Judd and Vicki Thompson are finally parents! And boy is it exhausting. Take a glimpse into the lives of the young new parents as they navigate everything from late night feedings to gymnastics meets. Rated T just in case!
1. Late Night Feedings

**Yep, it's me again with yet another story. This one I intend to be longer though. It's sort of kind of a sequel to my oneshot, What's in a Name, but you definitely don't have to read it to understand this story. This isn't going to be a continuing story but more of a series of short stories in the lives of Judd and Vicki Thompson as they try their hand in raising a child :) I rated it T for good measure but it's not too bad. Enjoy!**

Vicki Thompson cracked open her weary eyelids as a high-pitched wail reached her ears. She sighed. This was the third time tonight. And the past few nights had gone the same way. The young 22-year-old hoped this wouldn't become a routine. She was exhausted.

She yawned and stretched as she looked over at the alarm clock and read the bright red numbers. 4:03 a.m. Vicki sighed again. Sleep was just not going to happen tonight. She managed to sit up and throw the covers off herself as her husband stirred beside her. The crying was becoming louder and more persistent. No way Judd was going to sleep through this one.

"Again?" he asked exasperatedly as Vicki stood up from the bed.

"Yep," Vicki confirmed as she yanked the covers from his side of the bed to remind him that she wasn't going to be doing this alone.

"Alright, I'm coming," he said as he too yawned, stretched, and slowly rose from their bed.

They walked the short distance to the other room in their small, one story house to where the crying was coming from. They entered and Vicki went straight to the crib to pick up their baby daughter. She started bouncing the baby to try to get her to calm down and then began checking the vitals.

"She's probably hungry. Just feed her," Judd said as he stood to the side uselessly. He never understood why Vicki insisted he always help her with their late night visits to the baby's room. He couldn't produce milk. All he ever did was watch as Vicki did her best to feed and/or hush the baby back to sleep and then they would head back to their room. That was hardly worth waking him up too when the baby woke up in the middle of the night.

"I just fed her. She can't possibly be hungry again," Vicki said, annoyed at her husband. Just because she was the mom didn't mean she had to do all the hard work. Yeah she was kind of stuck with the feeding part unless they switched to formula but that didn't mean that she had to be the only one to wake up multiple times throughout the night.

"Well at least try. You never know with her."

"Fine," Vicki said angrily as she tried to get her daughter to eat but that was obviously not the issue. The baby didn't even try to eat anything.

"Told you," Vicki said. She continued gently bouncing the baby to try and get her to go back to sleep but it wasn't working. She checked her diaper and found that it was clean. What could possibly be wrong with her?

"You don't think she's getting sick do you?" Vicki asked with worry.

"I don't know, maybe. She's done this multiple times in the last few days and it's usually not for an actual reason like a diaper change or something. Maybe we should call the doctor," Judd suggested wearily. Though they absolutely adored their daughter, the young parents had had enough. They were severely sleep deprived.

However, just then the baby grew very quiet and Vicki watched in awe as she slowly drifted to sleep. "What the heck was that for?" Vicki whispered as she placed her daughter back in her bed.

They left the baby's room and closed the door behind them, praying they would have at least a few more hours to sleep for the night. "She didn't even need anything and just all of a sudden goes right back to sleep. It's like she's torturing us for her own pleasure," Vicki said exasperatedly causing Judd to chuckle.

"Yeah, that must be it. The greatest pleasure Lainey gets from life is waking her poor parents up tons of times during the night just for the heck of it," Judd said sarcastically. "Well why else would she start wailing hysterically when nothing is wrong and then just fall right back asleep?"

"I don't know. Maybe this is just what babies do and it's all just another wonderful aspect of being a parent," Judd said as they walked into their room and collapsed on the bed.

"Yeah well if that's the case then don't be expecting any more kids from me anytime soon," Vicki said as she snuggled under the covers.

"Okay, sweetie."

"I'm serious. I am closing up my womb until further notice."

Judd had to laugh at that. "Honey, unless you're planning a surgery that I don't know about, the only person who can do that is God."

"Yeah well maybe God will have mercy on us and keep me barren for a little while."

Judd chuckled. "I love you, babe," he said as he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

"I love you too. Now lets try and get some sleep."

"Amen to that!"

* * *

The next day (or rather, later that same day) Vicki chatted with her mother while Shelly and Darrion played with the baby. It was a Tuesday tradition. All the girls of the Young Tribulation Force would meet at someone's house to have lunch and fellowship. The moms of the girls were invited as well so Vicki's mom, Judd's mom, Darrion's mom, and a few others were also there.

"I don't know what's wrong with her, mom. I mean she just starts crying in the middle of the night for no apparent reason and then when she decides she's done, she goes back to sleep. I can't figure it out," Vicki lamented to her mother.

"I think I know what's wrong her," Dawn Byrne said.

"Really, what?" Vicki asked, hoping she could finally put an end to all of this.

"She's a baby," Dawn stated matter-of-factly. Vicki gave her mother a look that could kill. "I'm serious sweetie. What you're describing to me is exactly what every mother in the history of the world has gone through. This is normal and its something you're just going to have to get used to. I did it three times and I still survived."

"How?" Vicki asked, utterly defeated.

Vicki's mom chuckled. "To be honest, I'm not really sure. This will pass though and she'll be a yelling teenager before you know it."

"Man, you really know how to kick someone when they're down."

"I'm sorry sweetie. That's just parenting. It's got its highs and it's got its very lows."

"So I'm beginning to see," Vicki said as she put her head on her hand and sighed miserably.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Shelly asked as she came over to the mother-daughter pair.

"Oh just lamenting the fact that I haven't slept in weeks."

"Yikes, that bad huh?"

"I don't even remember the last time I was this exhausted. I'm pretty sure I've never been this exhausted," Vicki said which was appropriately followed by a yawn.

"Well, if you want, the girls and I could all get together this weekend and watch Lainey for you so you and Judd can have a weekend alone."

Vicki's face looked so happy, it was comical. "Shel, you have no idea how much Judd and I would appreciate that."

"Oh it wouldn't be a big deal. I'm sure with all the girl power we have in the YTF we can take of her no problem, no matter how many times she wakes up in the middle of the night," Shelly said with a wave of her hand.

Vicki jumped from her seat and gave Shelly a crushing hug. "You have no idea how much this means to me, Shel."

"That's what friends are for," she said with a smile. "Besides, Lainey is just so cute."

"Oh, yeah. I forget sometimes," Vicki said with a tired smile.

* * *

After a challenging weekend with the baby, Shelly and Darrion stopped by the Thompson's house to deliver their exhausting little bundle of joy. The circles under both of the girl's eyes indicated how the weekend had gone for them.

The girls rang the doorbell, car seat and baby bags in hand. Vicki swung open the door with a large smile and greeted her friends with a shockingly cheery, "Hello! Come on in."

Shelly and Darrion maneuvered themselves through the doorway, which was difficult considering the sheer amount of things they were carrying and also having to be gentle with the baby, who was fast asleep.

Vicki helped her friends unload all of their luggage and then she gently took her daughter to her room so she could sleep peacefully. When she got back, Shelly and Darrion had collapsed on the couch in the living room.

"Why am I not surprised?" she asked as she sat down on one of the chairs.

"Seriously, I don't know how you do it. We had like six different girls taking care of one baby for two days and we're all exhausted," Shelly lamented.

"Yeah, I have so much respect for you right now, Vicki," Darrion added. Vicki had to chuckle.

"Well welcome to the world of parenting."

Both girls groaned. Before they had only seen the fun part of being a parent. They were the ones who got to play with the precious little baby before handing her off to her parents when something went wrong. Now, they had an idea of what it was like when there was no one to hand the baby off to anymore. It was a good thing both girls still had a little time before they got to experience parenthood for themselves.

"Well, you know how the weekend was for us. How was it for you guys?" Shelly asked.

Darrion sat up and her voice took on a suggestive tone, "Yeah, what did you guys do once you had the house all to yourselves for a little while."

"Oh it was amazing. We spent the entire weekend in bed."

Shelly chuckled. "I'll bet you did!"

Vicki leaned in closer to her girlfriends. "It was incredible. Can you believe that I slept for twelve straight hours!" she exclaimed excitedly. Shelly and Darrion shared a look. Sleep wasn't exactly what they were thinking about when Vicki said she and her husband had spent the whole weekend in bed.

"So, all you did was sleep?" Shelly asked, her voice a little deflated.

"Yeah, pretty much! We would sleep for a little while, then wake up and eat something, then go right back to bed. I swear it was the best weekend I've had in awhile! I'm so refreshed. Thank you guys so much for watching Lainey for us. We so appreciate it," Vicki said happily.

Shelly and Darrion looked uneasily at each other. So this was parenthood.

**Well, what do you think? And in case you hadn't noticed from this story and my oneshot, I'm kind of obsessed with the name Lainey. That's what I want to name my daughter when I have kids :) And, like I said, if you want to know the story behind the name, read my oneshot. Review and let me know what you think and if I should continue!**


	2. Vicki's First Mother's Day

**Yay! An update! Okay, so this chapter is in honor of the not so recent Mother's Day that we just had. Yes, I know I'm a little late but whatever. And yes, I'll probably be doing a chapter around Father's Day as well. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!**

"Happy Mother's Day!" Judd Thompson said quietly as he entered the master bedroom of his house with a tray of breakfast food in one hand and his 3-month-old daughter in the other. The balancing act he was performing right now could be used to sell tickets.

Vicki stirred in bed, already awaiting his entrance as she had woken up when he went to make the breakfast earlier that morning. She sat up smiling at the pair and gladly took the food offered to her. If only every day was Mother's Day.

Judd sat down across from her and placed the baby in his lap. "So, your first Mother's Day. How does it feel?" Judd asked his wife.

"Well, I've already gotten to sleep in past 6:00 am and I'm eating breakfast in bed, so I would have to say it feels pretty good," Vicki said taking a large bite of her syrup smothered waffle.

Judd looked down at his daughter who was resting in his lap, "You want to tell mommy Happy Mother's Day?" he asked his daughter in his baby voice. "Oh that's right. You're only three months old and don't know the difference between 'goo' and 'gah'."

Vicki rolled her eyes and stretched out her hands for the baby, which Judd gently placed in her arms. She cuddled the baby and gave her a quick kiss on her head before returning to her breakfast.

Meanwhile, Judd had left to the room to get Vicki's remaining presents. When he came back, he was holding a large bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, and a gift bag.

"Wow, you sure went all out, didn't you?" Vicki said as she watched her husband place the flowers and chocolates on the bedside table and hand the gift bag to his wife. She placed the bag in front of her and Lainey, who immediately tried to play with the string and tissue paper.

Vicki opened the bag to reveal a circular piece of stone which, when she flipped it over, revealed a tiny hand print pressed into the stone and the words 'Happy Mother's Day, Love Lainey (3 months old)'. "Aw, this is so sweet! Look Lainey, your first hand print," Vicki said as she smiled down at her tiny daughter. Lainey, of course, was still entranced by the tissue paper from the bag.

"Judd you didn't have to do all this for me," Vicki said as she smiled at her husband who came and sat down next to her on the bed.

"Of course I did! I wanted to show my wife just how amazing of a mother she is," he said as he leaned in for a kiss. "Besides, I'm hoping you'll remember all of this once Father's Day comes around," he said with a wink.

"Oh don't worry, you'll be getting an especially large bouquet of flowers," Vicki replied sarcastically, causing Judd to roll his eyes and smile.

Just then, once Judd had taken away all the tissue paper and string, Lainey began to wail, obviously not happy to have been deprived of her new favorite plaything.

"Come here you, it's time for your breakfast," Judd said as he lifted Lainey into his arms.

"There should be an extra bottle of milk in the fridge, babe," Vicki pointed out taking another glorious bite of waffle.

"I'm on it," Judd said as he left the room, crying baby in hand.

As Vicki was finishing up her wonderful breakfast in bed, the phone rang and she was delighted to hear her own mother on the other end. "Happy Mother's Day!" her mom exclaimed happily once Vicki had answered.

"Thanks. Happy Mother's Day to you too!"

"Thank you very much. Ugh, it's still strange to think that my daughter is a mother now," Dawn lamented.

"About three months too late for that revelation, mom."

"Very funny. You know what I mean. I've never shared a mother's day with my own daughter before."

"Yeah, it's still weird for me too."

"So, I'm assuming we'll see you two at church?"

"Two? There's three of us now, mom."

"Yeah, you're right. See? I still haven't quite gotten used to it yet."

Vicki laughed. "Yes, mother, we'll all be at church. Don't think I'd let my first mother's day go by without my baby seeing her Grammy."

"Great! Then I'll see you soon."

After the usual hectic Sunday morning routine, Judd, Vicki, and Lainey, all arrived at newly rebuilt New Hope Village Church. Church services were quite different in the Millenium now that Jesus was walking amongst them. Every Sunday was an incredible time of worship and study that she had always dreamed she could experience at least once during the Tribulation. Now she got to have that experience every week with her closest friends and family. It was truly wonderful.

"There they are! My favorite new parents," Judd's mother greeted the threesome as they walked in the door. She was standing with Judd's father and his brother and sister, Marc and Marcie, who both immediately ran to see the baby. Vicki gently placed the carrier on the ground so the twins could properly greet their niece.

"I hope you're enjoying your very first mother's day," Judd's mom said as she gave both Judd and Vicki a hug.

"Oh yes, very much. Your son has been treating me like a queen."

"As he should be!" Judd's mother laughed.

"Happy Mother's Day, mom," Judd said as he kissed his mother on the cheek.

"Aw, thank you very much. You two are coming to our house for lunch after church, right?"

"Absolutely! My family is going to be there too, right?" Vicki asked.

"Of course, dear. It wouldn't be a family gathering if we weren't all there, right?"

Just then Vicki felt a tap on her shoulder and saw Shelly, Darrion, and a few other Young Trib Force girls behind her. They all wished her a happy mother's day, which she gladly thanked them for. As Judd convinced his brother and sister that the baby wasn't going away forever and that they could bear to part with her for a church service, Vicki walked with her girlfriends into the sanctuary.

"So, have you been having a good day so far? I mean, you are the only mother in the YTF so we don't exactly know what this day feels like from the other end," Shelly said as they all walked to their row. Though Vicki loved seeing her family at church, it was still a tradition that every Sunday the Young Tribulation Force would all sit together.

"Yeah, it's been great! It's kind of weird though. I haven't gotten this much attention since Lainey was born."

"What do you mean," Janie asked from Vicki's other side.

"Well, when you're pregnant, everyone always has their attention on you. Everyone wants to know how you're feeling and how you're handling everything and if the baby is alright. Then, once the baby is born, all that attention shifts to, you know, the baby. Everyone is actually focusing on me today. I know it sounds selfish, but it's kind of nice," Vicki said as they all sat down on the pew.

"That makes sense," Shelly affirmed.

"Yeah, I can't imagine how it must feel to do all that hard work and have no one appreciate it. Except for today, of course," Darrion commented.

"You know, it's funny. Today is wonderful and everything, but I don't mind not having the attention on me all the time. That's not what being a parent is about, I'm beginning to see."

Just then, Judd sat down next to Vicki, with the baby between them. "What are you guys talking about?" he asked.

"Oh nothing. How's Lainey doing?"

"Fine for now. Let's just pray she manages to get through an entire service without making a fuss."

"Well if she does I'll just quietly escort her outside," Vicki said with a smile.

"Are you sure? I mean it is Mother's Day and I don't want you to have to do all that work."

"No, it's okay. I don't mind at all," Vicki said as she smiled down at her precious little baby girl. When she looked up, Judd was smiling at her.

"What?"

"You're amazing," he said simply.

Vicki shook her head and looked back at Lainey, "No, she's amazing."

**D'awwww. Well, I hope you guys liked it! And if you did, please leave a review! Reviews are the only way I know if anyone likes the story and wants to me to continue so please do it! **


	3. Seeing Red

**Is it bad that I'm seriously impressed with how quickly I updated this? **

"Uh oh," Judd Thompson said quietly as he was giving his baby daughter her bath. He was drying Lainey with a towel when he noticed it. There, on the top of her head a few tufts of her once blonde hair had changed to their true color.

"What!? What is it?" Vicki yelled as she ran into the bathroom. Apparently she had heard Judd's comment from their bedroom and had automatically switched into crazy mom mode.

"Nothing serious. It's just, we may have a little problem," Judd commented.

"What's wrong?"

"Lainey is starting to show her true hair color."

"And?"

"Look for yourself."

Vicki looked down on the top of Lainey's head and noticed what Judd was pointing out. A few tiny strands of Lainey's thin hair had begun to take on a new color. The color Lainey would live with for the rest of her life. A smug smile crossed Vicki's face. The color was distinct and unmistakable.

"It's red," she said with a smile as she turned to face her husband.

"Yeah, I know. That's the problem."

Judd promptly received a rather strong punch to his shoulder.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"What is wrong with our daughter being a red head? Didn't you kind of see this coming?" Vicki asked as she pointed to her own red locks.

"No. I figured she was more likely to be a brunette like my family or a dirty blonde like yours. Red hair is a recessive trait."

"English please."

"It's very uncommon for people to have it."

"Oh come on. Every red headed parent on this planet has at least one red headed child. If not, the entire ginger population would have died out by now. And I fail to see the problem with having a red head. You married one."

"Yeah, one who has quite a bit of a temper."

Vicki's expression was all the indication Judd needed that he should have _never_ made that comment.

"Excuse me?"

"Vicki, don't try to pretend that you don't blow up about some things. That's not exactly a quality I want in my child."

"Okay fine, but that doesn't mean that Lainey is going to turn out the same way. Who's to say that all red heads have bed tempers?"

"Have you met one that doesn't?" Judd said as he wrapped his daughter in her towel and left to go get her pajamas, Vicki following right behind.

"Okay, maybe all red heads have tempers, but they're also strong, confident, and not afraid to speak their mind," Vicki said as they walked into Lainey's nursery.

"Do you really want a two-year-old who's not afraid to speak her mind?" Judd asked as he laid Lainey down on the diaper change table and began to dress her.

"No, but I do want a young woman who's not afraid to speak her mind. You married a hotheaded girl with red hair and now you're saying you don't want your own daughter to turn out that way. Do you not want Lainey to be like me?"

"No, sweetie. If Lainey turns out even a little bit like you then we'll be lucky parents. I would just rather she not have some of your worse qualities."

Again, Vicki's expression was all the evidence Judd needed to know that he made a _very _bad mistake saying that.

* * *

The next day Judd awoke on the couch in the living room with a sore back and a hurt heart. He and Vicki had fought more after their little spat last night until eventually she kicked him out of their room. He hated going to bed with things not settled between them but Vicki wouldn't listen. He decided he would have to talk to her the first chance he got.

As if on cue, Vicki waltzed through the living room and into the kitchen with Lainey in her arms. She didn't even bother to glance down at her husband. She placed her daughter in her seat on the kitchen table and began washing bottles, still ignoring Judd.

"So, what, you're just not going to talk to me?" Judd asked as he got up from the couch and walked into the small kitchen.

"That was kind of the plan," she said not looking up from the bottles she was washing.

"Come on, Vicki. We should talk about this. I hate it when we fight."

"I'm not going to talk to you unless you apologize for what you said to me."

"Apologize for what?"

Vicki dropped the bottles she was furiously cleaning and angrily turned toward her husband. "For saying that you don't want our daughter to be like me."

"Vicki, I never said that."

"You might as well have! You said that you think Lainey is going to be like me because she has red hair, for some reason, and that you don't want that to happen. How do you think that's supposed to make me feel? You're basically confirming all the insecurities I have about myself and throwing them in my face!" By now Vicki's voice had raised a notch causing Lainey to start to cry.

Vicki sighed and pushed past Judd, gently lifting her daughter from her seat and bouncing her up and down, trying to soothe her. It was a difficult thing to do considering Vicki needed some soothing herself.

"Vicki, I'm sorry," Judd said sympathetically.

"No you're not. You don't want our daughter to be like her mom. Do you even understand how horrible of a thing that is to say?" Vicki whispered, trying not to rouse Lainey, who had somewhat calmed down in her mother's arms.

"Yes, I do. Look, I've had all night to think about this. You're right. It was a terrible thing for me to say. And I've changed my mind. You are the strongest, most kind, thoughtful, and caring person I know. I fell in love with you, stubbornness and all. If our daughter is even a bit like you, then I know we'll be very proud parents. I'm sorry I was so insensitive. Can you forgive me?" Judd said.

Vicki looked like she was deep in thought. Finally, she said, "You were up all night?"

"Almost all night. The couch isn't exactly the most comfortable place to sleep. Especially compared to my nice, warm bed next to my beautiful red-headed wife."

Vicki gave away a slight smile at that comment. Finally she sighed and said, "You're right. I hate it when we fight too. I forgive you. Kiss and make up?" she asked.

Judd smiled. "Kiss and make up," he confirmed before leaning over and planting a long kiss on his wife's lips. After they pulled apart, they both looked down to find Lainey fast asleep in her mother's arms. The couple shared a contented smile. Everything was all right in their world again.

**Okay, so this chapter was basically a 'Judd and Vicki are married and married couples fight' kind of chapter. There's no trouble in paradise but it's important to see this part of their marriage too. On a different note, of course I made the baby a red head. Red headed children are freaking cute. Well, let me know what you thought! And I'll start working on the next chapter :) Also, if you have any ideas for a chapter or anything from this little family's life that you'd like me to explore, let me know! Since there isn't much of a plot line to this story it gives me the freedom to write about whatever I want! Or you want ;) R&R as always, y'all!**


	4. Judd's First Father's Day

**This story is so fun to write that's it's helping me get these updates out much faster than I usually do! I already have ideas for the next few chapters and even things I want to do further down the road. In case you hadn't noticed, I want this story to be snapshots of Judd and Vicki's life with Lainey as she grows up. She's kind of been the same age for the first few chapters but after this one I might start doing some time skips. Once again, thanks for all the positive feedback! Your reviews keep me going :) Enjoy!**

"Hey Vick," Judd said uneasily as he walked into the living room where Vicki and Lainey were having "tummy time" on the rug.

"Hey, what's up," she asked as she handed her daughter another toy. Lainey looked as though she was in heaven, surrounded by toys and stuffed animals. She promptly stuck the new toy in her mouth and began chewing and drooling all over it.

"I, um,…need to talk to you…about something," Judd said as he sat down on the floor next to the mother/daughter pair.

"Uh oh, what's wrong?" Vicki asked

"How do you already know something's wrong?"

"You have the look," she said plainly.

"The look? What look?"

"Every time you have to tell me something that you don't want to tell me and that will probably get you in trouble, you get this weird look on your face. Like a dog who pooped somewhere in the house even though he knew he wasn't supposed to," Vicki explained as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Judd looked at her strangely. "That's a weird analogy."

"Still gets the point across."

"Um, okay…anyway, I just got off the phone with my dad."

"And?"

"Well, you know how the Saturday night before father's day, your parents were going to watch the baby and we were going to have an…um…_special _night together to celebrate?"

"Judd, the only other person in the room is your 4-month-old daughter who is too entranced with her chew toy and, you know, 4-months-old to know what you mean by _special_. You don't have to say it like that."

"Okay, fine. But you know that that was the plan, right?"

"Of course I do. In fact, today I stopped by a certain _shop _to get a certain _piece of clothing_ to wear on a certain _special _night," Vicki said, very obviously making fun of her husband.

"Stop mocking me," he said with a scowl, to which Vicki replied with a laugh. "Anyway, my dad called me to tell me about this father/son camping trip a few hours away in some state park in northern Illinois that's that weekend."

"And?" Vicki asked, already not liking where this was going.

"He really wants me to go."

"And?"

"I'm probably going to go."

"You're joking, right?" Vicki asked, praying that her husband was pulling some sort of practical joke on her.

"No, I'm not," Judd said, afraid of how his wife was going to react.

"So let me get this straight. You want to spend your very first father's day away from home in the woods somewhere instead of having a _special _night with your wife, which, by the way, was what _you _wanted to do because_ you _kept saying that it's been a while since we've had a _special _night together."

"That is correct," Judd said, trying not to reveal the fear he had of his wife's reaction to this bit of news.

"You would rather spend your very first father's day cooped up in the woods somewhere with your dad than with your wife and daughter, who are the only two reasons you're a father in the first place."

"Look, Vicki, I want to spend Father's Day with my dad. Yeah, it's not the most ideal way to do it but he's really siked about this trip and he really wants me to go."

"Judd, you have plenty of other father's days to spend with your dad and you've already spent plenty of father's days with him before. But this is the first time you are going to be a father on father's day. Don't you want to spend it with, you know, _your daughter_."

"Of course I do, Vick, but this trip is really important to my dad and I don't want to let him down. I've already done plenty of that in the past."

"Judd, going on one camping trip is not going to automatically right all the wrongs you've done your dad in the past, which I'm sure he doesn't even care about anymore. Surely he understands that you need to be here so we can all celebrate as a family. Just think how great it would be to have dinner with your dad, my dad, and your daughter all in one place."

"Oh, yeah, about that…," Judd said, again getting that tell all "look" on his face.

"What?" Vicki said through clenched teeth.

"Your dad and brother are going too," Judd said quietly.

"Wait, so you're saying that not only do I have to spend Father's Day without my husband and father-in-law but without _my _dad too?" By now Vicki was beyond the point of frustration.

"Yeah," Judd winced.

Judd was expecting Vicki to blow up in his face and storm off or not say a word at all, but what he got completely shocked and confused him.

There, sitting on the ground next to her daughter, with a stuffed animal in her hand, Vicki broke down. Tears quickly rushed from her eyes before she could force them back. She mumbled something through her tears, which Judd didn't catch, before rushing off into their bedroom.

Judd looked down at Lainey, who looked almost as confused as he was. "Do you know what just happened?"

* * *

Judd let Vicki cry in their room for a bit before he went in to go see her. Obviously something bigger than him missing Father's Day was going on. Vicki didn't break down crying about something like this. She was too strong for that.

Judd used the time to put Lainey down for her nap. (Lainey, by the way, was _not_ happy about tummy time being cut short) Judd then quietly proceeded to their bedroom, baby monitor in hand.

He softly knocked on the door and stuck his head into the room. Vicki was softly sniffling away her last tears on the bed. Judd came and sat down next her, putting his arm around her as he did. She leaned up against his shoulder.

"What's wrong, Vick?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

She sniffled a few more times before answering, "Being a mom is really hard."

Judd looked down at his wife with surprise. "Where did that come from?"

"Don't get me wrong, I love Lainey to death and I would do anything for her but taking care of her is really hard. And you're always so helpful and caring with her and me. Father's Day was supposed to be the day where I could really show you how much I appreciate everything you do for the two of us. And you won't even be here. And my own dad won't even be here. I'm the same way as you, Judd. I feel guilty for everything I said and did to my parents in the past and I try every day to make it up to them. How can I do that when my dad's not even here?"

"Vick, you don't need one specific day to tell me or your dad how you feel about us. You can tell me right now. You can go call your dad or have lunch with him or something. Just because we're not here on the one day of the year when everyone else is appreciating their fathers doesn't mean you can't ever do the same. How about this? The weekend after Father's Day we'll set aside our own day where you can shower us with praise for how awesome we are at being dads," Judd said with a smile.

Vicki gave a slight smile then grew serious again. "It's just, I hate it when you leave. Even if it's only for a weekend. Taking care of a baby is hard enough with two people, let alone one."

"You won't be alone, Vick. You have hoards of aunties and uncles that would be happy to help you with the baby."

"I know. It's still hard to be away from you. I mean, I had to go almost three years without seeing you," Vicki said. Judd could see a slight smile on her face and he knew exactly why.

"Really? You're really going to use the Israel card on me?"

Vicki smiled and said, "Sorry, babe, but you are still a _long _way from making that up to me."

Judd only shook his head and smiled. "You're crazy."

"You love me."

"So stinking much," he said before kissing the side of her head.

The young couple laid there on their bed together a few minutes in silence before Judd said, "So….can I go camping with my dad?"

Vicki sighed and said, "Yeah, I guess. But we better all have Father's Day for real the next weekend and you and I still have to have our _special _night that Saturday, deal?"

"Honey, I am not going to miss out on our _special _night, believe me."

"Sounds like a plan then," Vicki said contentedly before kissing her husband passionately. Of course, the moment wouldn't last. Not with a 4-month-old in their house.

The baby monitor cackled with the sound of their baby's cry. "Dangit, Lainey," Vicki sighed before moving to get off the bed. Judd stopped her, however, and said, "Let me."

Vicki smiled as she watched him go. She had the privilege of being married to the greatest husband and father. She couldn't imagine being any more blessed.

**Hope you liked it! Once again, if you have anything you want to see me do, please let me know! I'm always open to suggestions. **

**P.S. The reference to Judd and Vicki's _special _night is one of the reasons this story is rated T. I'm just going to leave it at that...**


	5. Baby Weight Boot Camp

**Yay, I updated! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I gave y'all a nice long one too :) **

"Do you smell that?" Judd Thompson asked his wife, as the pair was quietly reading in the living room. Five-month-old Lainey was happily playing in her play pin between the two. Vicki looked up and sniffed the air. Her face took on a look of disgust when she smelled what her husband had detected.

"Ugh, yeah. What is that?" Vicki asked before understanding dawned on both her and her husband's faces. Slowly they both looked toward their young daughter. Lainey looked as though she had taken a bit of break from playing with her toys to do something…else.

"Okay, who's getting this one?" Vicki asked, turning back toward her husband.

"I've been doing them a lot lately," Judd said.

"Yeah, but I've done like the last three. It's definitely your turn."

"Rock, paper, scissors?" Judd suggested.

"Deal."

The couple tapped their fists three times on their hands before Judd revealed a "rock" and Vicki revealed a "paper".

"Ha! Have fun with that," Vicki said victoriously before returning to her book.

Judd sighed and walked to pick up his daughter, grimacing as he did. The smell was quite overwhelming. "Oh boy, this one smells like a doozy," he said in disgust before taking Lainey to her nursery to change.

Vicki only chuckled as they went and began to read. It wasn't long before she heard the phone ring and went to pick it up. "Thompson residence," she answered.

"Hey Vicki! It's Darrion," Darrion Stahley greeted from the other line.

"Oh hey, girl. What's up?"

"Oh nothing much, I was just wondering if you'd like to go on a run with me today."

"A run? Why do you want me to go on a run?"

"Well it's such a nice day out and I figured you of all people would want to get some exercise in."

"What does that mean?" Vicki asked, not liking Darrion's implications.

"Well, I just figured you would want to get a start on losing all that baby weight."

"All that baby weight? What are you talking about? I haven't put on that much weight." If Vicki didn't like Darrion's implications before, she definitely didn't like them now.

Darrion, however, sounded as though she realized her mistake and began to backtrack. "Oh, um, I just meant that….maybe you would want to…you know, get a little more active. I bet you probably haven't worked out much since Lainey was born."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Vicki asked, very obviously offended.

"No, I just meant that since you have to take care of Lainey all the time you must not have a lot of time to take care of yourself."

"Darrion, stop talking."

"Okay, thanks. I really couldn't manage to bring the nose up on that one, could I? Crash and burn."

"Do you think I'm fat?"

"Of course not! Vicki, you're beautiful and perfectly shaped. I just offered because I figured you could use a little physical activity. You're always at your house taking care of the baby. Don't you want to get out a little more?"

"Darrion, I am perfectly fine at home. Just because I don't run every day like you girls do, doesn't mean I'm physically inactive. I can take care of myself, thank you very much. I don't need your help."

"Vicki, I promise I wasn't trying to offend you, I just want to-,"

"Goodbye, Darrion," Vicki said abruptly hanging the phone up, not waiting for Darrion to finish her thought. She couldn't believe the nerve of that girl! Saying that Vicki wasn't exercising as much as she should be. She wasn't anywhere near being overweight. Yeah she had gained a few pounds when the baby was born and hadn't really worked much of it off, but that didn't mean that she was fat.

However, despite how much Vicki tried to convince herself otherwise, she began to notice that she was a little bigger than she was used to being. She caught herself a few times staring at her reflection in the mirror, checking out her body. She had to admit that Darrion's comments got to her. She never remembered being more self-conscious about her weight than she was now.

One day she finally asked her husband the lethal question, "Judd, do you think I'm fat?"

Judd looked up from the laundry he was folding uneasily. She did _not _just ask him that question. He figured his best bet was to answer the only way he knew how. "What are you talking about? Of course you're not fat! You're beautiful," he said before walking over to his wife and kissing her cheek.

Vicki, however, was not convinced. She turned back to her reflection in the mirror and continued to scrutinize. "Are you sure? Because I did gain a lot of baby weight and I haven't really lost much of it. I mean, look at how pudgy my belly is. That can't be attractive."

"Vick, you are the most attractive woman on this planet. You should stop over analyzing yourself."

"Yeah, but I am bigger than I was before, right? You can't deny that."

Judd sighed. She had walked him into a corner.

"Answer truthfully. Am I bigger than I was before I had Lainey?"

Judd had to wonder what he had done to deserve this. "If you want me to be _completely_ honest than I would say that you maybe sort of are a little bit bigger than you were before, but that-,"

"Oh my gosh, I'm fat!" Vicki turned toward her reflection with disgust.

"No, Vick, just because you're bigger than you were before doesn't mean you're fat. I mean, of course you're bigger than you were before you had Lainey. You had a baby! Everyone gains weight when they have children. That's just how that works. But I don't care about that. I think you're the most beautiful woman there is. That's all that should matter."

Vicki looked as though she didn't even hear him. Though she had never been one to obsess about her image, for some reason Vicki had turned into a thirteen-year-old girl and no amount of smooth talk from her husband would change that. "Darrion was right. I need to start working out more. I'm going to go call her and set up a time to go running," she said before rushing out the room.

"Vicki, please, you don't have to-," but she was already gone. Judd sighed. Well that had not gone very well.

* * *

"Welcome, Vicki Thompson, to Baby Weight Boot Camp. With the help of your excellent personal trainer, you will be able to shed those pesky little pounds Lainey gave you before you can say the word 'bottle'," Darrion Stahley said in her best drill sergeant voice as she paced in front of her very scared looking friend. Vicki began to wonder if she had made the right decision to ask Darrion to help her lose her baby weight. From what Shelly had told her, Darrion was brutal in her work out regime and wasn't known to be the friendliest trainer around.

"Now that you've already stretched, we will begin with 100 sit-ups."

"I'm sorry, did you just say 100 sit-ups," Vicki asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I did," Darrion said firmly.

"You can't actually expect me to do 100 can you?"

"Keep talking, Red, and I'll make it 200," Darrion said giving Vicki a look that made the red-headed mother drop to the ground and begin her sit-ups as fast as she could. Yep, this had definitely been a mistake.

"Come on, wuss, you can do better than that!"

Vicki huffed and puffed but she was already wiped by the time she reached 30 sit-ups. This was going to be a _long _day.

* * *

Judd Thompson diligently sawed the piece of wood he was working on back and forth. After Lainey had been born, he had taken a long break from building houses with Lionel and Ryan to help Vicki with the baby. Because it wasn't an actual job, his friends were very understanding and let him take off as much time as he needed. Now, five months after Lainey was born, he was beginning to slowly get back into the swing of his work. Vicki was becoming more and more adapted to taking care of the baby alone, allowing Judd to get back on the job.

As he finished up the beam he was working on and lugged it over to the pile he had created, he noticed two figures running toward him. Well, one was running. The other looked as though they were about to collapse.

As they came closer, Judd realized that it was his wife and her friend. And, of course, Vicki was the one who looked as though she was about to collapse. Judd shook his head. It looked as though the work out session with Darrion hadn't gone as well as Vicki had hoped.

"Hey Judd! I figured since we were in the area, I'd bring you your wife," Darrion said happily as she ran to the construction site.

"It looks as though you didn't bring her to me alive," Judd noted as Vicki fell to her knees and panted like a dog.

"Come on, Judd. She can't die now," Darrion said.

"Are you sure?" Judd asked skeptically. By now Vicki had stretched out on the ground and looked as though she was about to keel over. "Geez, Darrion. What did you do to her?"

"Nothing! I just made her do 100 sit-ups, followed by 50 push-ups, some heavy weightlifting, and then we went for a run."

"How long was this run?" Judd asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"Well it's not done yet but so far we've gone about 2 ½ miles."

"Are you kidding me Darrion!? This is the first day and you're acting as though this is a training camp for navy seals!"

"What are you talking about? It's not that bad," Darrion said defensively.

"Not that bad? Take a good look at your trainee and tell me that it's not that bad," Judd said as he motioned toward his soon to be dead wife. Vicki was still lying flat on the ground and looked to be asking for something to drink.

Judd shook his head, grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler, and walked over to where his wife had collapsed. He handed her the water and she immediately sat up and drank the entire bottle whole.

"Thanks," she wheezed as Darrion looked on with her arms crossed. Judd gave her a look that immediately made her back off.

"Are you okay?" he asked with concern.

"Oh…yeah…I'm…fine," she huffed and puffed out. "This…is…great." She didn't sound very convincing.

"Okay, babe, we need to have a serious heart to heart," Judd said as he sat down next to her. "Vick, you can't keep doing this."

"What do you mean?" she asked tiredly.

"This whole boot camp thing with Darrion. You can't keep doing it and you don't need to keep doing it, for that matter."

"Yes, I do. I have to loose my baby weight."

"No, you don't, Vicki. Do you realize how stick thin you were before you had Lainey? Because of the Tribulation, you were tiny. Now, it's like you filled out. But in a good way, I promise. If anything, you're more beautiful than you were before. There's nothing wrong with getting out for a walk or a small run here and there to stay healthy but you do not need to kill yourself training with Darrion to loose weight you don't need to loose."

Vicki was silent for a few moments, mulling over what Judd had said. She knew he was right. And she had to remind herself that if Judd thought she wasn't bigger than she should be, then no one else's opinion should matter.

"You really think I'm prettier now than I was before?" she asked.

"Are you kidding? You're gorgeous. Think about it, Vick. You're not starving, running for your life, or living on rationed supplies. And I still thought you were beautiful enough to marry you back then. To me, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. And even if I didn't think that, it wouldn't matter. Your looks are the not the most attractive part about you. I love your heart way more than I love your beauty."

Vicki smiled at his sweet words. "What would I do without you?"

"I don't know. Probably die during one of your workouts with Darrion."

Vicki laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said as he kissed the top of her head.

"Hey, lovebirds!" a voice called to the couple. They both turned around to see Ryan standing next to Darrion with his arms crossed.

"What?" Judd asked, slightly irritated to have been interrupted.

"You do realize you're on the job, right? I can't have you snuggling your wife while you should be building a house. Can't do it all alone," Ryan said slightly joking, yet slightly not.

Judd turned back to his wife and sighed, "I hate to admit it, but he's right. Can you manage to walk back home on your own?"

"Yeah, I think so. A 2½ mile walk certainly isn't as bad as a run."

Judd stood up and extended his hand to help his wife up from where she sat.

"By the way," Vicki said as she began to leave with Darrion. "You look so manly right now," she said with a wink.

Judd looked down at his button up flannel shirt, blue jeans, and construction belt and then looked at his wife smugly, his ego thoroughly lifted.

"Why thank you, ma'am," he said with a tip of his imaginary hat.

Darrion looked between the two and turned to Ryan. "Those two are sickeningly adorable," she commented.

"You got that right," Ryan said with a shake of his head before turning to smile at Darrion.

Darrion smiled back before she too turned to leave. Her smile would last all the way back to the Thompson home.

**Hmmm, what was that little interaction at the end, I wonder? ;) I know I haven't explored the other members of the YTF much since this story is supposed to revolve around Judd and Vicki's little family but I might slip in a few things here and there :) Hope you guys liked it! I don't know why, but I always pictured Darrion being a health nut since she had such a privileged upbringing so that's why I used her as Vicki's crazy trainer. Nothing against Darrion, I promise. **

**P.S. Happy Father's Day! (Yes, I know I probably should have uploaded the Father's Day chapter on Father's Day or waited to upload this one tomorrow but I literally cannot help myself when it comes to writing this story!) **


	6. Baby Dedication

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I did another long one for you :)**

Vicki Thompson ran around her home straightening pillows and dusting off surfaces, trying to make sure everything was in perfect shape. Judd watched his wife run around and shook his head. Her obsessive cleaning was pretty much useless. It wasn't like the Queen was coming over for dinner.

"Vick, what are you doing?" he finally asked.

By this point, Vicki was as high strung as she could possibly be and answered her husband sharply, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm making sure our house looks nice and neat for our visitors. I appreciate the help, by the way," she said sarcastically.

"Vicki, they don't care what the house looks like."

"I don't care if they care! I care, so I'm going to clean it," she said, thoroughly irritated.

"Fine, whatever," Judd said admitting defeat. Vicki was way past the point of reason by now and there was no hope in bringing her back.

Their dinner guests for the evening were Lionel, Ryan, and the foursome's former mentor, Bruce Barnes. Though the couple saw Bruce often (he was the pastor of New Hope Village Church again so they saw him at least every Sunday), they hadn't sat down for an actual conversation with him in awhile. And Bruce had never seen the Thompson's house. He had seen the baby, of course, but even those instances were few and far between.

Vicki was nervous because, for her, it felt as though she had something to prove to Bruce. When he died, Judd and Vicki were young teenagers. Vicki was only sixteen. Now they were both adults and were married with a baby. She had always felt that Bruce never really approved of her feelings toward Judd during the Tribulation and she wondered what he really thought of their marriage and, now, their baby. She hoped the dinner tonight would prove to Bruce just how much the couple had grown up in the last seven years.

Judd, on the other hand, thought Vicki's concerns were ridiculous. He could tell Bruce was proud of them and happy for their new life together. But convincing his wife otherwise was a difficult task.

"Babe, could you go wake up Lainey? They should be here any minute," Vicki said as she went into the kitchen to check on the meal.

"All right. But I must warn you, she's not going to be very happy to have her nap cut short," Judd said.

"Give her one of her toys and she should get over it pretty quickly."

Judd walked into Lainey's nursery and smiled when he saw his six-month-old daughter fast asleep in her crib. She was tangled in one of her baby blankets that her Grandma Byrne had knitted for her. It killed him to have to end her nap prematurely since she looked absolutely adorable asleep.

He reached down to pick her up, rousing her from her sleep. As Judd expected, Lainey immediately began to fuss and cry, not happy to have her baby dreams interrupted.

"I know, baby girl. I'm sorry. But you have to be on your best behavior for Pastor Bruce tonight, okay?" Judd soothed his daughter in his baby voice.

She still wouldn't stop crying so Judd sat down in the rocking chair and handed Lainey one of her baby toys to get her to calm down. As Vicki had predicted, that had done the trick. Lainey stopped crying and became entranced with her new toy just as Judd heard the doorbell ring.

"Oh, looks like our guests are here, Lainey. You want to go say hi?" Judd asked. Lainey, however, was not paying attention to her father, as she was perfectly content playing with her toy in his arms.

Judd walked out to the living room and saw his friends, Lionel and Ryan. It looked as though Bruce hadn't arrived yet.

"There she is!" Ryan exclaimed when he saw Judd and Lainey walk into the room. "Can I hold my little red-headed niece?" he asked as he stuck his hands out for the baby.

"Lainey, you want to say hi to your Uncle Ryan?" Judd asked her as he carefully transferred his daughter to his friend's waiting arms.

"Oh, you are getting so big, aren't you? Hard to believe you're already six months old," Ryan said in his baby voice as he began to gently bounce Lainey.

"Hey, don't hog her, Ryan. She needs to say hi to her Uncle Lionel too," Lionel said.

Ryan turned Lainey around in his arms so she could see Lionel then turned her back around to face him. "There, she said hi. Now she can spend some quality time with her Uncle Ry-Ry."

"Her Uncle Ry-Ry?" Vicki asked, skeptical of Ryan's self appointed baby nickname.

"Yeah, I figure Ry-Ry will be easier to say than Ryan. That way I can be her first word." Amazingly, Judd, Vicki, and Lionel all rolled their eyes at the exact same time.

"So, instead of her first word being 'mama' or 'dada', it's going to be 'Ry-Ry'?" Judd asked his crazy best friend.

"Uh, yeah. She's obviously her uncle's girl," Ryan said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Dude, you're not even her real uncle," Lionel said.

Ryan gasped and turned Lainey completely away from him. "Don't listen to him, Lainey. I'm obviously your real Uncle," he said to the baby.

Judd and Vicki only shook their heads.

"Okay then," Lionel began slowly, "So what's for dinner, Vick?"

"Lasagna. It's Judd's mom's recipe. I've been working at it all day. Even made the noodles from scratch."

"Wow, sounds good. You didn't have to work that hard though, Vicki. It's just us," Lionel said.

"Yes, I did," she said.

"Vicki has this crazy idea that Bruce doesn't really like the fact that we're married and have a kid. That's why she's been working her butt off to make sure tonight is perfect," Judd said.

"What? That's insane, Vicki. Bruce couldn't be happier for the two of you," Ryan commented.

Vicki gave her husband a look that said she wasn't happy he had told Lionel and Ryan what she had been secretly feeling. Then she turned back to her guests, "I don't think he doesn't approve, I just think he isn't crazy about the idea. Which is why I need him to see that we are grown ups and can make our own decisions," she said as she subconsciously straightened the flowers that were in a nearby vase.

Just then the doorbell rang and Vicki gave a little gasp at the noise. Judd went over and put an arm around his wife. "Don't worry, Vicki. Everything will be fine," he said before letting Vicki go to answer the door. Meanwhile, Ryan transferred Lainey to her mother's arms.

"Hey Bruce, come on in!" Judd said enthusiastically as he welcomed his old mentor into his home.

"Hey, good to see you Judd!" Bruce said happily as he stepped through the doorway.

After greeting Lionel and Ryan, Bruce went over to say hello to Vicki and give her a hug. Then he turned his attention to Lainey. "Well, there she is! Do you mind if I hold you?" Bruce asked as he extended his arms for the baby, which Vicki gently handed over to him with a nervous smile. She still didn't know what to think.

Lainey immediately made herself comfortable in Bruce's arms and stuck part of her toy in her mouth. "Wow, she sure isn't shy, is she?" Bruce commented.

"You got that right. Lainey loves new people," Judd said as he watched Bruce and Lainey interact with a smile.

"Apparently. Wow, you are the spitting image of your mama," Bruce commented.

"I know, right? Me and Vick always joke around and say that the only part of me that Lainey got was the X chromosome that made her a girl," Judd said as he put his arm around his wife. Vicki still didn't look comfortable with the situation.

"I can tell why. She looks exactly like her. Even has the red hair to match," Bruce said with a smile.

"Would you like anything to drink Bruce?" Vicki asked, ever the hostess.

"Oh, no thank you. I'm fine," Bruce said as he walked over to the couch and sat down placing Lainey on his lap.

"Okay, then. I'm going to go check on dinner," Vicki said, quickly excusing herself out of the room. Judd looked after her with concern. She seemed so nervous. Eventually, Judd walked into the kitchen to talk to his wife privately and found her bustling around trying to get everything ready for their meal.

"Vick, you really need to stop being so worried. Has Bruce given you any indication that he's not okay with this?"

"No, not really. But I can never tell with him. Look, just let me be. I have enough to worry about right now."

"Here, why don't I finish everything up in here and you go out there and talk to him."

"Yeah right. Like I'd trust making the salad and setting the table to you," Vicki said as she grabbed ingredients from various cabinets and drawers.

"You act as though I've never seen the inside of a kitchen before. Trust me, Vick. I have this under control. Why don't you leave this to me and go out there and talk to your guests, okay?" Judd said as he came up behind his wife and kissed her cheek. He slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and then started kissing her neck.

Quickly, Vicki pushed him away. "Stop it! Bruce might see us," she said as she glanced into the living room to make sure no one was watching.

"Babe, we're not sixteen anymore. We're married. It's okay if Bruce sees us showing affection toward one another. That's allowed."

"I know. I'd just rather he not see us doing that, is all."

Judd sighed. He had had enough by now. "Fine," he said quickly before walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. He was gone for a few minutes as Vicki prepared the salad before he returned with Bruce in tow.

"Hey Bruce, you need anything?" she asked quickly.

"Yeah, I'd like to talk to you alone for a minute, Vicki," Bruce said as Judd quickly left the room. Vicki eyed him suspiciously.

"Come sit," Bruce said as he sat down at the kitchen table. Vicki came and sat down across from him. "Judd told me about some of the concerns you have," he began.

"Did he?" Vicki asked, angrily looking toward the living room.

"Yes, and I have to tell you that there is nothing to be worried about, Vicki. I'll admit it was strange to come back and see you two married and it is a little weird to watch you be parents but that's all it is. Weird. Strange. There's nothing wrong with it. I couldn't be happier for the two of you. I'm so proud of everything you have done."

"Yeah, but didn't you always think our relationship was a bad idea?"

"At one point, yes. But that was back when you two were young. I thought that the feelings both of you had for each other was just some silly high school romance. Now I can see that I was wrong. You two make a great team. It's obvious God had a plan for your relationship and I'm glad to see you two doing so well together. You don't know what I would've given to be able to see you get married."

Vicki smiled at that and said, "You know, if you had been alive, you would've been the first person we would've asked to marry us."

"Yes, I know," Bruce said with a smile.

"So, you're really okay with this?" Vicki asked.

"Of course! I'll admit it'll take some getting used to, but I can see how much you two have grown and I couldn't be happier for you both."

"Thanks, Bruce. That means a lot."

"Of course. You know, this is going to sound random, but I have a question for you."

"What's that?"

"Have you ever heard of a baby dedication?"

Vicki shook her head.

"Well we used to do them a lot at New Hope before the Tribulation. It's basically a less controversial way of doing infant baptism. New parents come before their church and publicly declare to raise their child in a godly manner and then the pastor prays over them and the baby. I was thinking since I didn't get to marry you and Judd, that I could dedicate Lainey to the Lord, with your permission, of course."

"I love that idea! Judd and I would be happy to let you do it."

"Great! It's settled then. I'll talk to the church officials and we'll set a date one Sunday to dedicate Lainey during the church service."

"Thank you so much, Bruce."

"Of course," Bruce said as he stood up to give Vicki a hug, which she gladly received. It was like a weight had been completely lifted off her shoulders.

* * *

A few weeks later, Judd and Vicki Thompson stood before the congregation at New Hope Village Church with Lainey resting in her mother's arms. She was wearing her Sunday best and was ready to be publicly dedicated to the Lord. Vicki looked out into the crowd and saw so many familiar faces. It made her heart happy. Both her and Judd's families were there along with everyone from the Young Tribulation Force and even most Tribulation Force members as well. Vicki was so happy to be able to share this special moment with the ones she loved the most.

"Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Today's service is going to start out a little differently. Today, we're going to dedicate a new soul to the Lord and, as a congregation, pray over her and her parents. I had the privilege to be there the day Judd and Vicki Thompson met. It wasn't a very good day in any of our lives as all of our families had disappeared, but that day we all formed a bond. And Judd and Vicki formed a friendship that would turn into marriage many years later. I met Judd when he was sixteen and Vicki when she was fourteen. I was blessed to be their mentor for a few years before I went to my place in heaven. Now, eight years since that first day in my office in this very church, I get the privilege to dedicate their child to the Lord. I'd like our congregation to officially meet Lainey Abigail Thompson," Bruce said as he motioned to the tiny, redheaded baby snoozing in her mother's arms.

Many "awws" echoed from the crowd. Judd and Vicki smiled down at their daughter and then their eyes met and they smiled lovingly at each other.

"Judd and Vicki declare in front of you all their dedication to raising Lainey with godly principles and morals and pledge their lives to her salvation. Now, I'd like us all to extend a hand toward this family and pray over them."

Bruce's prayer was long and heartfelt. Vicki brushed away a few tears as he finished, so thankful for Bruce's leadership in their lives and the beauty of prayer.

After the service was over and everyone was offering Judd and Vicki their congratulations, Vicki slipped away to thank Bruce personally.

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. I am eternally grateful," she said.

"And I am eternally grateful that we serve the same loving God."

She smiled at that and gave Bruce a big hug. She couldn't imagine being any happier.

**This chapter was inspired by one of Dr. Michaela Quinn's reviews where she asked what Bruce would think of the baby. I realized I had never thought about that and thought it would be a cool idea to explore, so thanks for the inspiration! As always, recommendations for this story are always welcome. I have an idea for the next few chapters but I can very easily slip something you'd like to see in :) Thanks for all the support! Please let me know what you thought in a review!**


	7. A Brief Trip Down Memory Lane

**Hey guys! Sorry it's been a little while since I've updated. I've kind of run into a little bit of writers' block. So, because I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do next, I decided to do a special edition flashback chapter! This takes place before all of the other chapters I've done so far. You'll be able to figure out pretty quickly exactly when this chapter takes place. Hope you guys like it!**

It was a cold and rainy November afternoon in Chicago, Illinois. Shelly Brown was busy unpacking her new apartment just outside the city in Mount Prospect. After months of house searching, Shelly and her friends, Darrion, Melinda, and Janie, decided to get a large four-bedroom apartment instead of a house to live in. They were all excited to start their new lives in the Millennium and this apartment was step one.

After all the planning, paperwork, and shopping was complete, it was finally move-in day. Almost everyone from the Young Trib Force volunteered their time and energy to help the girls move. It was a day full of boxes, unpacking, and smiles among friends. Though it wasn't the most ideal way to spend time as a group, it was still fun for all the friends to be together, especially after the horrible seven years they had just lived through.

"Hello!" greeted one of the later arrivals. Vicki Thompson waddled through the door as best as her 9 months pregnant body would allow. Her husband Judd followed quickly behind carrying a rather large square box.

"Hey, what are you doing here? You don't have to help us unpack," Shelly said to her best friend as she leaned around Vicki's protruding stomach to give her a hug.

"I know, but I figured I'd come by to say hi and give you a little apartment warming gift," Vicki said as she motioned to the box her husband was carrying.

"Little? That thing doesn't look very little to me," Shelly commented with a laugh.

"Okay, yes, it is a little large, but you'll see why when you open it," Vicki said with an excited smile. She was obviously very pleased with her gift selection. Judd transferred the box to Shelly's arms, causing her to almost drop it. Not only was the gift big, but it was also quite heavy.

"Jeez, Vicki, what did you get?" she said as she sat down on the couch to open the present.

"Just open it, will you?" Vicki said impatiently.

Shelly just rolled her eyes and began to open the package. When she looked inside, she realized why it was so big. Shelly pulled out a rather large, and fancy, picture frame. She turned over the frame and saw a large portrait of the Young Tribulation Force. The picture had been taken a few weeks after the Glorious Appearing. Everyone was all smiles and deliriously happy to have every lost member of the Force back together. Shelly smiled when she saw it.

"Isn't it great? We have one in our house too! You can hang it up on the wall and be reminded of how awesome your friends are," Vicki said with a wink.

Shelly placed the frame beside her on the couch and got up to give Vicki another awkward side hug. "I love it, Vicki! This will go great in the apartment," she said as she went to hug Judd as well.

"Well, now that that's done I'm going to go help the other guys move boxes," Judd said as he left to go find the other guys downstairs by the moving truck.

"We appreciate the help, Judd," Shelly called out after him as he left.

"Well, I'm going to take a bit of a breather. One of the elevators wasn't working, or something, so we had to take the stairs. Four flights of stairs at nine months pregnant is not easy," Vicki said as she lowered herself onto the couch.

"Yeah, I totally understand. Don't feel obligated to help. I don't want you to overexert yourself this late in the pregnancy," Shelly said as she began to unpack some mugs from one of the boxes.

The day went on as people came and went delivering boxes and unpacking various things. Eventually everyone grew anxious for some food, so the movers all left to revitalize themselves. Vicki stayed behind saying she wasn't very hungry, and Shelly stayed with her to continue to unpack. Eventually they were the only two people left in the apartment.

Vicki munched on some celery that she had brought in a bag to keep herself occupied while Shelly bustled around trying to make the new apartment her home. Everything was going great until Vicki felt a sharp pain in her stomach. She gasped and clutched her pregnant belly. Something was not right. Her body felt very funny. It took her a minute to realize what was going one but when she did, her eyes grew very wide and she looked to Shelly with panic.

"Shel, something's wrong," Vicki said slowly.

"What? Did those guys break that vase that I worked so hard to make at the pottery place? I told them to be careful with that box! I swear, when they get back, I'm going to-," Shelly started but she was quickly interrupted.

"No, Shel, that's not it. I think…I think I might just be…in labor," Vicki said uneasily as she looked to her friend.

Shelly's eyes grew wide with panic as she took in that piece of information. She realized that she was the only one around to do something, as all of her friends were gone. She began to take deep breaths to calm herself.

"Okay…alright…let's not panic. We…can…do…this," Shelly said nervously as her breathing became faster and faster.

"Shelly, calm down. I'm not asking you to deliver the baby, I'm just asking you to get me to the hospital," Vicki said, acting surprisingly calmer than Shelly was.

"Okay, I can do that. Alright, let's go," Shelly said as she rushed over to help her friend off the couch. Shelly tried to calm herself down as she locked the door of her new apartment behind her and walked her friend to the elevator.

Vicki could tell her friend was still panicking so she calmly said, "Shel, relax. Everything is going to be fine. We just need to get to the hospital and call Judd and everything will be alright."

"Right, sorry. It's just that I've never been in this situation before."

"Yeah, well. Neither have I," Vicki said as she began to feel her stomach contract. She started to take deep breaths to get through the pain.

The pair arrived at the elevators and Shelly pushed the button. One of the elevators dinged and the doors opened.

"That's weird," Vicki said.

"What?"

"It's just that that was the elevator that was broken before when Judd and I came up here earlier. I guess they fixed it," Vicki said as Shelly led her inside.

Shelly failed to see how that was relevant information, so she shook off the comment and pressed the button for the ground level.

"Call Judd and tell him to stop by our house to get the overnight bag we packed and then come meet us at the hospital," Vicki directed as Shelly pulled out her phone.

"Oh, dangit," Shelly said as she looked down at her phone.

"What?" Vicki asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just don't have service in this elevator. I'll just call him when we get out," she said.

However, as if on cue, the elevator came to a screeching stop, causing both girls to grasp the railing for leverage. The lights then began to flicker before turning off, allowing the emergency lights to come on. Shelly and Vicki shared a look of complete panic as they realized what had happened.

"The broken elevator," Vicki said.

"I guess they didn't fix it," Shelly said with a look of complete terror.

"We're stuck."

"And you're in labor."

"And we don't have cell service."

"And you're in labor."

"And we have no way of getting to the hospital."

"And you're in labor."

"Okay, you know what? I bet this happens a lot. Let's not panic. They have an emergency button for this very reason. We'll just call it and someone will come get us out and we can go the hospital," Vicki said, trying her absolute best to calm herself down. It wasn't working very well.

Shelly only shook her head in response, too terrified to say anything. Vicki reached over and pressed the emergency call button. It rang for a few moments before a woman answered.

"Hello? Is there an emergency?"

The woman's calm question was all it took to break Shelly. She completely lost it as she began to yell at the woman on the other end, "Yes, there's an emergency! We're stuck in the elevator in my apartment building and my friend is about to have a baby and we need to get to the hospital, right now!"

Vicki looked at her best friend in disbelief. So much for not panicking.

"Your friend is having a baby?" the woman asked.

Before Shelly could yell anymore, Vicki stopped her and calmly answered, "Yes, I am. I went into labor a few minutes ago and we were on our way to the hospital when the elevator stopped."

"Okay. Please don't panic. I'm calling a team of firefighters to come get you out and we'll have an ambulance waiting to take you to the hospital when they do. I can stay on the line until they get there. What floor are you stuck on?"

"Between two and three," Vicki answered breathlessly. Another contraction had hit. She sunk to the floor of the elevator and began the breathing exercises they had taught her in the birthing class.

"Alright. Again, please stay calm. The firefighters should be there in a few minutes along with the EMTs. They have just been notified. I can pray with you if you want."

It was a strange thing to hear from the woman in the elevator emergency call button, but now that they were living during the Millennial Kingdom, everyone was a follower of Christ.

"Yes, please. But I don't think I can pray along with you right now," Vicki fought to get out. The contraction was becoming more and more severe.

The woman prayed over them for a few minutes before they heard voices from the floor above them. The firefighters had arrived. Vicki and Shelly thanked the woman before she hung up and they focused their attention on their rescuers.

"Hello? Can you two hear me?" one of them asked. As Vicki was in the middle of another contraction, Shelly answered.

"Yes, we can hear you! Please come quick, my friend is in a lot of pain!" Shelly yelled back up to them.

"Alright, please stay calm, we're coming to get you," one of the firefighters said.

Vicki and Shelly listened as their rescuers pried open the elevator doors to the floor above them and descended onto the elevator itself. Because the emergency opening at the top was not big enough to get someone nine months pregnant out safely, the firefighters had to cut a large hole at the top.

"Geez, couldn't they just bring the guy to come fix the thing instead of all this," Shelly asked as the firefighters worked. The pair later learned, after the ordeal was over, that that elevator had always been broken and was past the point of repair. Apparently when Shelly and the other girls moved in, management forgot to mention that no one dared step foot in that elevator. It was basically guaranteed to get stuck.

While the firefighters and EMTs worked to get Vicki and Shelly out, the rest of the Young Trib Force returned from their meal. One of the people who worked at the apartment complex stopped the group as they tried to get on the elevator.

"Sorry, guys. You'll have to take the stairs. There's an emergency situation on the third floor."

"Oh no, what happened?" Darrion asked the man.

"Apparently two women got stuck in the elevator. And one of them is in labor," the man said.

Simultaneously all eyes quickly turned to Judd as a look of panic crossed his face.

"One of them is in labor?" Judd asked slowly.

"Yeah. Talk about bad timing."

Judd wasted no time as he quickly rushed up the stairs to the third floor, taking two steps at a time, the rest of the Young Trib Force quickly following. When he got there one of the rescue workers stopped him.

"Hold up, pal. We got an emergency situation here. We're going to have to ask you step back."

"You don't understand. My wife was here with her friend and she's nine months pregnant. I think that's her in there," Judd said.

"What's your wife's name?" the man asked.

"Vicki Thompson," Judd answered. The rescue worker and a nearby firefighter exchanged a look before they let Judd enter the third floor. By now Judd knew that it was definitely his wife stuck in the elevator.

"Vick! Can you hear me?" Judd yelled down the elevator shaft. There was a large opening in the top of the elevator so Judd could see his wife lying down on the floor, one of the EMTs tending to her.

"Judd? Is that you?" she called back up to him.

"Yes, sweetie, I'm right here, okay? We're going to get you out and then we'll go to the hospital and have this baby," Judd said.

"Judd, I need to tell you something."

"Yes, baby, what is it?"

"When I get out of here…"

"What?"

"I'm going to punch you in the face so hard, you'll be knocked out for a week!"

Judd stood back after that comment and uneasily exchanged a look with the firefighter standing next to him. The firefighter was barely holding back a smile.

"Do you even understand how much pain I'm in right now!? And it's all because of you! I'm never going to forgive you for this, Judd Thompson. NEVER!" she yelled back up at him as another contraction hit and she screamed out in pain.

"Don't worry," the firefighter said when he noticed Judd's rather terrified expression. "I went through the same thing when my wife had our son. She'll forgive you...eventually," he said. Somehow that didn't make Judd feel any better.

Eventually, after everything had been set up, the firefighters gently lifted Vicki out of the elevator and onto the gurney waiting for her on the third floor. Shelly soon followed. After a little difficulty getting Vicki down the stairs (it wasn't like they could take the elevator), they loaded the almost mother into the ambulance with her reluctant husband and rushed her off to the hospital. After a few more hours of contractions, and pain, and lots of shouting, Judd and Vicki Thompson were finally parents.

* * *

"And that's the story of the birth of our daughter, Lainey," Judd Thompson told his fellow young parent bible study friends as they were wrapping up their weekly meeting.

"Wow, that's insane!" one of the other parents commented.

"Looking back on it now, it makes perfect sense. Lainey has been keeping us on our toes since that very day. I can't think of a more fitting way for her to enter the world," Vicki said with a shake of her head.

"Man, and here I thought our water birth story was the most interesting one of the group. Going into labor stuck in an elevator definitely wins," another one of the parents said.

"Yeah, the sad thing is, is that's probably one of the lesser exciting stories of our parenthood so far. That child sure is an interesting one," Vicki said, thinking about her young daughter and all the adventures they had had so far.

"We'll pray for you guys," one of the group said, causing the others to laugh.

"We appreciate that, but I don't think any amount of prayer will stop parenthood from being so hectic," Judd.

"Amen to that!" the rest of the young parents said. They all knew exactly how Judd and Vicki felt. Going into labor in an elevator was nothing compared to the craziness of raising a child. And not a single one of them would have it any other way.

**So, what'd you think? I realized a few days ago that I keep writing chapters about this child but I never have written one about her birth. It may be a little over the top but I think that Judd and Vicki would have a pretty interesting birth story :) Read and review! And if you have anything that might be able to get my brain juices flowing and help get out of my writer's block, I would very much appreciate it! Thanks for all the love you guys! **


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